WO1996037248A1

WO1996037248A1 - Brain-training method and device based on olfactory stimulation

Info

Publication number: WO1996037248A1
Application number: PCT/EP1996/002181
Authority: WO
Inventors: Iradj Hessabi
Original assignee: Iradj Hessabi
Priority date: 1995-05-24
Filing date: 1996-05-21
Publication date: 1996-11-28
Also published as: DE29508676U1

Abstract

The invention concerns a method of training the brain to counteract forgetfulness, even in its early stages, in human beings in the case of 'presenile dementia' or age-related impairment of the intellectual faculties, or even to counteract dementia caused by wasting of the cerebral tissue. According to the invention, brain activities can be trained by means of special alternating smells by awaking memories of a particular experience used as a control. To this end, the invention also concerns a device by means of which un-mixed smells can be emitted in a relatively rapidly alternating manner into a room, comprising an air duct (11, 12, 13), fan (2), air filter (3) and a plurality of separate containers (4) for each smell and odorous substance. Molecules of one of the smell-producing substances can be mixed with the air flowing through the duct (12) in a relatively short amount of time and evacuated therewith and the smells can be changed at short intervals.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR BRAIN TRAINING BY MEANS OF ODOR

The invention relates to a method for brain training against forgetfulness in humans even in the preliminary stage in the case of "presenile dementia", age-related deterioration of the mental faculties up to the stupor due to loss of brain tissue; it also relates to a device for carrying it out.

The treatment of patients with fragrance or odorants, especially in the field of neurological medicine, is known in its psychological effect. The transmission of feelings such as hygiene, relaxation and appetite stimulation with fragrance notes is already being practiced. People's memories and reactions to a particular fragrance are uneven. In addition, the perception of a scent by humans, as in color recognition, is only possible by reference to experience and experience; if there is no connection with an experience, a scent is not perceived.

Nevertheless, many experiments in the field of fragrance and odoriferous substances are carried out on majority-related statistics. Such attempts are based almost on an abundance of devices which are used in department stores for sales promotion or for changing the air condition in places which smell unpleasant, with or without a motorized blower are equipped. These devices are always loaded with a fragrance note. To exchange the fragrance note, the fragrance note substance is exchanged. The fragrance note previously in the room is covered by a new fragrance. If the fragrance notes are exchanged several times, this leads to an unclear, unrecognizable odor which is undesirable, the effect of the fragrance change remaining insignificant.

The known fragrance note substances are perfumes; they are aqueous-alcoholic solutions of animal or synthetic, predominantly vegetable fragrances; they also contain a fixator, which is intended to ensure that the fragrance sticks to the perfumed object for a longer time. There is also a large selection of flavorings that are often used in food production. The aroma notes are also based on human experiences.

The task on which the invention is based is derived from this, according to which a device is to be specified by means of which unmixed fragrance notes can be released into a room in a relatively rapid alternating manner, recalling a respective reference experience among the people to be treated , The device should be simple and economical to manufacture, attach and operate.

The solution to these problems is described in the characterizing features of the independent claims; advantageous further developments and preferred embodiments contain the subclaims.

For brain training, the patient experiences different, sequentially applied smell stimuli that associate memories. The evocation of such memories trains the brain and influences structural changes caused by illness or aging. It is advantageous if the odor stimuli are changed a few times per hour. It is assumed that the patients are exposed to such training procedures in rooms that are adequately ventilated, so that mixing of fragrance substances is prevented becomes. A special (and not always necessary) ventilation is achieved with a horizontal or vertical flooding of the room with a low-turbulence displacement flow; as a rule, however, room ventilation with air exchange rates in the range 6-12 is usually sufficient. Such mixing would ultimately lead to unclear odor impressions and thus make it difficult to associate a memory. A simultaneous application of a second smell note with the associated complication in an advanced stage of the training may be helpful in order to place further demands on the memory and thus to deepen the training success.

The device for brain training with various fragrances and odorous substances in a relatively rapid alternation consists of a channel-shaped tube, at one end of which a blower is provided. This fan is advantageously driven by an electric motor; instead of an electric motor drive, the blower can also be operated with the aid of a spring drive. The channel-shaped tube is made horn-shaped on the opening side for air intake. The impeller of the blower, for example that of an axial fan, is arranged in the air intake opening, so that ambient air is drawn in via the blower and blown into the channel-shaped tube. An air filter is advantageously provided in the channel-shaped tube, directly behind the fan. The air introduced into the tube is passed through the air filter; this allows the airborne contaminants, which in particular smell and are therefore disruptive, to be filtered out. Such an air filter usually consists of activated carbon granules and / or vegetable or biological substances, which are often regenerable and cleanable substances. After the passage, molecules of the fragrance substances are added to the air flowing through the duct. This air provided with this odorant is led into the treatment room. In one embodiment, after filtering, the air passes through an air permeable plate. This plate, which advantageously consists of felt-like material - for example an open, needled material - is loaded with a scent substance and is thus able to release molecules of this specific scent substance into the air give off when the air flow passes this plate.

The felt plate can be inserted radially into the channel-shaped tube and then pushed out again. The felt plate is immersed in a container, which is advantageously provided under the channel-shaped tube. While the plate is immersed in the container, it is loaded with a fragrance substance present in the container. A plate immersed in the container closes the execution slot of the container so that steam of the fragrance substance cannot escape from the container.

Several containers, each with different fragrance substances, are advantageously connected to the channel. If a felt plate is immersed in the container, the next plate can move out of the container and thus the air flowing through it can pass through the channel-shaped tube. This change of felt plates, each carrying a separate scent, changes the scent of the air flowing out of the channel-shaped tube accordingly. The control for the use of the felt plates takes place electronically or manually.

In another advantageous embodiment of the device, a plurality of containers are each filled with different, different scent substance substances; these containers have filler necks through which the fragrance substance can be refilled. These containers are each provided with a flap and are thus lockable and evident, the individual containers being opened by a displaceable plate or by rotary and tilting flaps. The flaps can be adjusted using an electric drive or manually. The control for opening the flaps is advantageously adjusted with the aid of an electronic timer so that one flap is open for a certain period of time. The upper, slit-shaped outlet opening provided with the flap is arranged below the channel-shaped tube in such a way that vapors of the fragrance substance substances can escape during the container opening time and can get into the air flow. The dimension of the openings of the loading The container is selected so that steam of the fragrance note substances can easily be released into the channel-shaped tube in a sufficient amount. The quantity dispensed in the unit of time can also be adjusted via a change in temperature: an increase in temperature increases the dispensing, a decrease in temperature causes this to decrease. At the outflow end of the channel, the scented air flows out of a narrower exit.

It is necessary that a fragrance gas is perceived by the human olfactory organs at all times. This method can help people suffering from neurological diseases such as forgetfulness or Alzheimer's disease in its initial phase and older people. Through the use of smell and fragrance notes, the brain is stimulated by the sense of smell and smell to remember events from existing memories. A rapid change in the fragrance in the room has a stimulating effect, the source of each fragrance being unconsciously recalled; however, a rapid change must not lead to a mixing of the individual fragrance notes. Therefore, only a few fragrance note changes per hour should take place in an average ventilated room. Odor is the sensation caused by irritation of the olfactory organs, which is attributed to the stimulus-causing object as a property. A large range of scent notes is symbolically connected directly or indirectly to special events that the patient has experienced and can be brought to mind with the help of the associated scent notes. For example, smells from / to baked apples, vinegar, fir / spruce, spices such as cinnamon, straw, grill smoke (as well as other scents and smells).

In some people, especially the elderly and those suffering from drugs and / or alcohol, the sense of hearing and sense of smell are weakened, so that they cannot relate the processes to what they see; therefore they become aggressive, brave or overly friendly. By repeatedly spreading a relatively strong fragrance, you can be reminded of the processes again. With this method, treatment and training is possible without the use of medication and physical interventions. The application can be short or long Times to treat individuals or groups of people, often often during the day. The device is portable and easy to use. The selection of fragrance notes should optionally consist of everyday smell notes and unmixed fragrance notes.

The essence of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; show:

01 shows a vertical cross section of the device;

02 is a front view of the device;

03 shows a further vertical cross section of the device;

Fig. 04 shows a front view of the device.

FIGS. 01 and 02 show a vertical cross section or a front view of the device. This device consists of a channel-shaped housing 1 with a horn-shaped channel 11 at one end, which is arranged such that it receives the outside air with its larger opening. The smaller end of the horn-shaped part is connected to a further cylindrical channel 12. A fan with an impeller 2 provided with blades is arranged in the cylindrical channel 12, an electric motor 21 driving this impeller 2. An air flow is caused by the rotating impeller 2: With the rotation of the impeller 2, the air is sucked in from the outside through the horn-shaped channel 11 and blown onto an air filter 3.

The air filter 3 is mounted at the beginning of the channel 12 transversely to the air flow direction in such a way that the air continues to flow after flowing through the air filter 3 through the cylindrical channel. Several slot-like openings open into the channel 12, from each of which a felt plate 41 is pulled out of one of these openings transversely to the channel axis. The felt plate 41 is loaded with a fragrance substance. The air passing through the channel 12 passes through the felt plate 41 and then contains molecules of this fragrance substance. The felt plates 41 remain only briefly in the channel 12 and are repeatedly immersed in their container 4, which are arranged below the channel 12. The containers 4 each contain a scent substance that is entered through the filler neck 42. The one with molecules Air enriched with scent substances is discharged through a small opening 13, which can be seen in particular in FIG. 2. The electromotive and / or manual drive and timer for changing the felt plates 41 is accommodated in a housing attached to the device.

Figures 03 and 04 show a vertical cross section and a front view of another embodiment of this device. This device consists of a channel-shaped housing 1 with a horn-shaped channel 11 at one end, which is arranged so that it receives the outside air with its larger opening. The smaller end of the horn-shaped part is connected to a further cylindrical channel 12. The fan with the impeller 2, which is driven by the electric motor 21, is arranged in the course of the cylindrical channel 12. The rotating impeller 2 causes an air flow: With the rotation of the impeller 2, room air is sucked in from the outside through the horn-shaped duct 11 and blown onto an air microfilter 3. The air filter 3 is mounted at the beginning of the channel 12 transversely to the air flow direction in such a way that the air continues to flow through the cylindrical channel when it strikes the air filter 3.

Several openings open into the channel 12, each of which is provided with a closable flap 40. The opening of these flaps and their opening time is controlled by means of a timer. In each case, an intended fragrance note is released into the channel from only one of these openings. The air passing through the channel 12 passes through the space into which the storage containers 4, which can be closed with the flap 41, and into which molecules of the fragrance note substance can escape when the flap 41 is open; the air flowing through is enriched with molecules of the scent substance that are mixed with the air. The flap 41 of the fragrance substance container 4 remains open only for a short time. The containers 4 are each filled with a scent substance through the filler neck 42. The air enriched with the molecules of one of the scent substance substances is discharged through a small opening 13. The electromotive and / or manual drive 5 and the timer are in one on the device attached housing housed. Further parts of the device are advantageously arranged in a housing 1.

Claims

01. Method for brain training against forgetfulness in humans also in the preliminary stage with "presenile dementia", age-related deterioration of mental faculties up to the stupor due to loss of brain tissue, characterized in that the patient experiences different odor stimuli, which are applied one after the other Associate memories.

02. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the odor stimuli are changed a few times per hour.

03. Device for carrying out brain training against forgetfulness in humans even in the preliminary stage in the case of "presenile dementia", age-related deterioration of the mental faculties up to the stupor due to loss of brain tissue according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by an air duct (11, 12, 13), a blower (2) and air filter (3), as well as several containers (4), each for a fragrance and odor substance, with molecules flowing into the air flowing through the channel (12) for a relatively short time the fragrance notes can be mixed in and removed with them, and the fragrance note can be changed at short notice.

04. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that each of the fragrance substance substances present in a container (4) is received and held by an air-permeable plate (41) provided in the respective container (4) wherein each of the plates (41) for delivering molecules of the fragrance substance to the air flowing through the air channel (12) can be pushed out of the respective container (4) into the channel (12).

05. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the container (4) for the scent substance below the air channel (12) is assigned a closure flap (40), during the opening time of which the air from the air channel (12) is removed container (4) of fragrance molecules which is open for a short time can be enriched in fragrance molecules escaping in the air channel (12).

06. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the containers (4) can be tempered.

07. Device according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the blower arranged in the air duct (12) is designed as a fan (2), preferably as an axial fan, directly behind the impeller of the fan (2). the air filter (3) is provided transversely to the air flow.

08. Device according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized ge indicates that the device is assigned an electronic or mechanical time switch (5) with which the delivery of molecules of one of the scent substance substances to the air flow passing through the channel (12) or can be switched off.

09. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the timer (5) causes selection, pushing out and returning the one of the scent substance substances receiving and holding air-permeable plate (41) in the air channel (12) or in the respective fragrance substance container (4) and controls their length of stay in the air flow of the duct (12). 10. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the timer (5) selection, opening and closing the Klap¬ pe (40) of the respective one of the fragrance substance receiving container (4) and their opening duration to the air flow of the channel (12) controls.